Israel is preparing to allow ships to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip “immediately” through a proposed sea corridor from Cyprus, the Israeli said today Foreign Minister, naming four European countries, including Greece, as possible participants.

Under the deal first proposed by Cyprus in November, the cargo would undergo a security inspection in Larnaca and then be taken by ship to the Gaza coast, 370km away, rather than going through neighboring Egypt or Israel .

If the plan goes ahead, it would mark the first easing of the Israeli naval blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007 after militant Islamists Hamas seized power in the Palestinian enclave.

Israel has described the corridor as a means to end civilian contacts with Gaza, where it has been waging a 12-week offensive in retaliation for killings and kidnappings by Hamas militants on Israeli soil.

With hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians displaced, the idea may also be a partial response to the December 22 UN Security Council resolution calling for the expansion of humanitarian relief mechanisms.

“It can start immediately,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Tel Aviv’s 103 FM radio station when asked about the Mediterranean corridor.

He added that Britain, France, Greece and the Netherlands are among the countries with vessels that can directly approach the shores of Gaza. which has no deep harbor. He seemed to expect these countries to proceed in this way rather than offloading aid to Israel.

“They asked us for the equipment to come through (the Israeli port of) Ashdod. The answer is no. It will not come through Ashdod. It will not come through Israel. We want to disengage while maintaining control over security. That’s the goal of this process,” Cohen said.

There was no immediate response from London, Paris, Athens or Amsterdam.

Britain and Greece have previously expressed support for the Cypriot initiative, with Britain offering ships that can reach the shallow waters off the Gaza coast, a senior Cypriot official told Reuters.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has also supported the Cyprus plan.

“At the moment there is a sea blockade and if such an aid ship comes from Larnaca, it will be with our approval,” Cohen said. “It will of course be a safe corridor as we have no intention of endangering a British or French ship coming in coordination with us.”